MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – A Miami-Dade antheral was arrested implicit the play aft deputies accidental helium tried to usage fake employment and income records to bargain high-end vehicles from section dealerships, portion of what investigators are calling a “credit bust out” scam targeting the car concern industry.
Jail records amusement Pavel Gomez-Deben, 53, was taken into custody Saturday astatine a car dealership successful Miami Gardens aft Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office investigators linked him to suspicious enactment involving aggregate conveyance purchases successful little than 48 hours, according to an apprehension report.
MDSO deputies said Gomez-Deben allegedly attempted to acquisition a 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG G63 worthy much than $175,000 from Mercedes-Benz of Miami.
Authorities said the dealership’s wide manager alerted instrumentality enforcement aft noticing what helium described arsenic reddish flags successful the recognition file, including 16 inquiries into Gomez-Deben’s recognition study and a caller acquisition of a 2025 GMC Yukon valued astatine astir $97,000.
Detectives said recognition bust outs often impact applicants falsely inflating income and employment data, “which is an emerging inclination wrong the car concern industry.”
In Gomez-Deben’s case, deputies said that helium claimed to gain implicit $247,000 annually arsenic the president of a institution called “P&G Truck Lines.”
But investigators recovered that the concern had been inactive from 2021 until its caller reinstatement successful February — months earlier the indebtedness attempts. They besides learned that Gomez-Deben presently works arsenic a barber.
When Mercedes-Benz contacted Lorenzo Buick GMC, the dealership wherever the Yukon had been purchased, unit determination confirmed Gomez-Deben had utilized astir identical accusation to unafraid financing done Santander Bank, according to his apprehension report.
Concerned the woody was fraudulent, investigators said the dealership lured Gomez-Deben backmost by telling him the SUV needed to beryllium brought successful for service.
When helium returned astir 1 p.m. Saturday, authorities said Miami-Dade deputies were waiting.
They said Gomez-Deben was detained and questioned by detectives from MDSO’s Organized Crimes Bureau.
Despite initially agreeing to talk with investigators aft being work his Miranda rights successful Spanish, authorities said Gomez-Deben yet requested an lawyer and the interrogation was stopped.
Before requesting ineligible counsel, detectives said Gomez-Deben denied applying for recognition astatine Mercedes-Benz of Miami and claimed helium was the unfortunate of individuality theft. But dealership records showed helium had communicated straight with unit utilizing his idiosyncratic cellphone number, the study stated.
Detectives besides noted that the OnStar tracking strategy successful the GMC Yukon had been disabled. Automotive technicians aboriginal confirmed the portion had been tampered with.
Jail records amusement Gomez-Deben is facing aggregate charges, including organized fraud of $50,000 oregon more, first-degree expansive theft exceeding $100,000, second-degree expansive theft betwixt $20,000 and $100,000, and 2 counts each of obtaining a conveyance by trickery and obtaining spot done mendacious statements oregon credit.
Gomez-Deben’s enslaved accusation was not instantly available.
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About the Author
Ryan Mackey
Ryan Mackey is simply a Digital Journalist astatine WPLG. He was calved connected Long Island, New York, and has lived successful Sunrise, Florida since 1994.